Lightning-arrester



G. P. A. DAMSCHEN.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION men APR. 27. 1919.

1 ,338,2 1 3 Patented Apr. 27, 192% ,Source WITNESS INVENTQR d/fld/fk /i/ W WM;

ATTORNEY "Uhlll" ED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

GERHARD P. A. DAlJlSCI-IEN, 1F UCOIJOMOWUC, NISCUNSIN.

LIGI'ITNING-ARRESTER.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

1 3 ,38 21: Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed. April 27, 1218. Serial No. 231,123.

To 1 a/ihomttmag concern:

Be it known that l, Gnnnfnni) P. A. DAM- a citizen of the United States, and of Oconoinowoc, the con: oi:

resha and State or visconsiu have ed certain new and useful iprove in Lightning-Arresters and do herethat the following is a full, clear, 7 des tion thereof. lily in. ention relates broad arr-esters and more particul to that t pe which is adapted to be inserted in an electric circuit to prevent the injury of mechanism or machinery forming part thereof by lightning.

lt is one of the important objects of the present invention to provide a device of this general character with means for ground ing the electrical circuit in which it is placed immediately aiter said circuit has been struck by lightning to ground the charge oi lightning.

Another object is to provide means for automatically and positively carrying out this grounding of the electrical circuit.

A further object is to provide an arrangement whereby subsequent bolts lightning may be grounded after an initial bolt has struck the circuit while at the same time preventing the passage of an ordinary amount of electrical current through the grounded circuit.

V-Viththese and other obvious objects in view the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed and shown in the drawing, in which: v

Figure 1 represents a plan view of one form of my invention disposed in a closed electrical circuit, said circuit being indicated diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of my invention, and

Fig. l is an elevational View thereof.

In the accompanying drawing the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted for light duty service for use in telephone circuits or other circuits through which a very small amount of current normally passes; the other form of the invention on the other hand is used for heavy duty Work, for instance for the protection of cables and central oi'hce or sub-station equipment. The principal object both nents oi the invention, is how ver, initicall y ground the normally closed t immediately after the same has been l 1 or otherwise receives a l mount of current. therefore, to Figs. 1 and 2 it seen that the operating parts of the r nioun upon an insulated base 1. is many sets of the arresting mechanism may be mounted on such base as may T e necessary, one being usually adapted for each ctrical circuit. In the present in stance a pair of such sets is shown, but since they are substantially alike, a description for one will suffice for both.

A contact arm 2 is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 3 to the base 1 and is continuously urged in one direction by a leaf spring which bears thereagainst to one side o .ie pivot The opposite ends or the ing bar 8 of suitable length and a fuse link attaching member 9. The binding post I designed to have the other end of the electrical circuit C secured thereto.

fusible link 10 has one end secured to the binding post 6 and its other end to the attaching member 9, said link being thus adapted to hold the contact arm 2 in one position against the tension of the sprin :l, the end of said arm to which the bindin post 6 is secured being then disposed in mliate the ends of the conduct ing bar 8. The electrical current will pass through the binding post i, the attaching member 9, the fuse link 10, and throughout the length of the contact arm 2 t0 the binding post 5 and thus into the adjacent portion oi the circuit C.

As soon, however, as the circuit is overloaded, as by a lightning bolt, the fuse link will be melted and the spring 1 will force the contact arm around its pivot and thus break the circuit. The movement of the arm 2 will be continued until the binding post 5 strikes a stationary binding post 11 secured to the base 1, such binding post having a ground wire 12 fixed thereto. When the arm 2 has its movement stopped by the stationary binding post 11, the end thereto to which the binding post (5 is attached is positioned adjacent to, although spaced from,

.the free end of the conducting bar 8.

Owing to the short distance between the binding posts 5 and 11 and the strength of the spring 1, an electrical contact will be made between said binding posts almost coincident With the breaking of the fuse link 10, and the excessive load of electricity will be thereby grounded. The space between the end of the conducting bar 8 and the ad jacent end of the contact arm 2 prevents ordinary voltages of current from passing from one portion of the circuit C to the ground, but this forms no bar to excessive voltages of circuit as the same will readily jump the gap and be carried off to the ground. Such an arrangement will prevent injury trom a second bolt of lightning following immediately after the first. Fig. 1 illustrates one set of arresting mechanism in a grounded position and the other set in a normal position.

The electrical circuit C may obviously be reformed by the provision of a new fuse link 10. T11 other words after the device has acted to arrest and ground a bolt of lightning or the like, the broken iuse link is removed, and the contact arm 2 rotated in a proper direction to allow the adjustment of a. new fuse link.

The form of the invention depicted in Figs. 3 and 1 has but a single set of arrest ing mechanism mounted upon an insulated base 15. This mechanism includes binding members 16, 17 and 18, a normally closed electrical circuit C being connected to the first mentioned members 16 and 17 a ground wire 19 is attached to the binding member 18.

From the first mentioned binding member 16 extends a fuse link attaching arm 20 with which one end of an ordinary inclosed fusible link 21 is attached. The other end of said link is secured to the "free end of a spring arm 22, the other end of the latter being secured to the binding member 1'7.

The tension of the spring arm 22 is such that unless confined by attachment to the use link 21, its free end will move upwardly, thus when an excessive current of electricity passes through the circuit and destroys the link 21, the free end of said arm will fly upwardly into contact with the laterally extending contact 23 of the grounded binding member 18. As in the case of the first mentioned form the opera tion of the arm 22 is very rapid and the excessive charge oil electricity will be directed into the ground wire 19 rather than through the circuit C, the mechanism therein being thus protected against injury. The present form of the invention may also be returned to normal position for further operation of the circuit C by the installation of a new fuse link 2]..

Owing to the simplicity in the construction as described, it will be noticed that it will operate successfully even though a perfeet ground, in the first instance has not been effected.

I claim as my invention 1. A current arrester including a pivoted contact arm, a ground contact member engageable by the pivoted contact arm, means for moving the pivoted contact arm into such engagement, a stationary contact member located adjacent to one end 01' the pivoted contact arm and elongated in the direction of the path of orbital movement of said end, said end of the contact arm being in close proximity to one end portion of said stationary contact member when the pivoted arm and the ground contact member are engaged, and a fusible link normally connecting the other end portion of the stationary contact member with the said end. of the pivoted contact arm, said link being :lused upon passage of an overload of current therethrough to permit said engagement of the pivoted contact arm and the ground member.

2. A. current arrester including a pair of pivoted contact arms, a ground contact menu 1: disposed between said contact arms and cngageable by the corresponding ends thereoi, means for independently moving either of sa id arms into such engagement, at stationary contact member located adjacent to one end of each of the pivoted contact arms, each of said stationary contact members being elongated in the direction of the path of orbital movement of the adjacent end of its cooperating contact arm, said end 01 each contact arm being in close proximity to one end portion 01" its stationary contact member when the pivoted arm and'the ground contact member are engaged, and a fusible link normally connecting the other end portion of each stationary contact member with the said end of its cooperating contact arm, said links being iused by the passage of an overload oi? current therethrough to permit said engagement of the pivoted contact arms and the ground contact member.

Tn testimony that I claim the foregoing T have hereunto set my hand at Oconomowoc, in the county of \Vaukesha, and State of lVisconsin.

GERPLXRD P. A. DAMSCHEN. 

